Macau Introduction - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Background

Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China on 20 December 1999. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's political and economic system would not be imposed on Macau, and that Macau would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign affairs and defense for the subsequent 50 years. However, following a multi-year crackdown by China against a pro-democracy movement in nearby Hong Kong, the governments of China and the Macao Special Administrative Region similarly worked to limit Macao's political autonomy by suppressing opposition activity in the 2021 legislative elections.

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Definitions and Notes

NOTE: The information regarding Macau on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Macau 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Macau 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.